Biggest blowouts in NBA Playoffs history: Complete list of largest postseason losses

From furious finishes to thrilling comebacks, the NBA Playoffs have delivered countless classic games. While there have been a number of unforgettable classics, there have also been some lopsided duds that the losing team hopes everyone would forget immediately.

The best of the best advance to the playoffs, but in a make-or-miss league like the NBA, sometimes it's just not your night — even if you're a defending champ. Pair an off night with a red-hot performance from your opponent, and you have the formula for a game that gets out of hand pretty quickly.

Throughout the history of the NBA Playoffs, there have been 26 games decided by 40 or more points — 10 in the first round, nine in the semifinals, six in the conference finals, and one in the NBA Finals.

What are the largest wins in NBA Playoffs history? From a 58-point shellacking in 2009 to an unlikely 42-point blowout in the NBA Finals, here's a list of the most lopsided losses in the NBA's postseason.

MORE: Dates, times, TV channels for every 2023 NBA Playoffs game

Biggest blowouts in NBA Playoffs history

The largest margin of victory in NBA Playoffs history is 58, which was done twice. Most recently, the Denver Nuggets earned a 121-63 win over the New Orleans Hornets in Game 4 of the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs.

The Timberwolves took care of the Nuggets by 45 in Game 6 of the 2024 Western Conference semifinals, staving off elimination in the process. It marked the eighth-biggest blowout in NBA postseason history, and the biggest since the Clippers beat the Mavs 154-111 in the first round of the 2020 Western Conference playoffs.